President's Letter

By Paul Sternberg, M.D. July 2010

Dear Canby Robinson Society Members:

The Canby Robinson Society launched the CRS Scholarship Program in 1987, which partners with the School of Medicine to provide four-year, full tuition scholarships for incoming medical students pursuing their M.D. or M.D./Ph.D. degrees. Over the next several months, you will notice renewed energy focusing on this part of our mission to support our students. Students, after all, are the future of Vanderbilt University Medical Center and at the heart of what we do and why we do it.

At a recent CRS board meeting, members experienced a “day in the life of a medical student” by going through mini-med school, attending a lecture, touring the Center for Experiential Learning and Assessment, where the students gain hands-on experience in a simulated setting, and participating in an organ recital, where pathologists demonstrated how disease affects various organs, such as the brain and heart. Some of the board members participated in the Medical School’s Second Look Weekend, which is when the scholars we have selected return to campus for an in-depth look around to help them make their decision about where to attend medical school. And board members attended Commencement activities to celebrate the successes of our CRS scholars.

The impact of donor giving has been great, and we are truly making a difference in the lives of these young men and women. In August, 105 first-year medical students will embark on a long journey to become compassionate and well-educated physicians. We are proud and honored to be able to provide this opportunity to our CRS scholars as well as the recipients of our Scholarship Benefactor Program.

We look forward to the opportunity to grow the CRS Scholarship Program and reach even more students. We invite you to learn more about the CRS Scholarship Program and the activities of the Canby Robinson Society at www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/crs.